Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O86 in wild birds at two garden sites in south-west Scotland

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium and Escherchia coli O86:K61:NM are two bacteria that can cause outbreaks of mortality in garden birds visiting bird tables and other feeding stations. Two sites in south-west Scotland were monitored for the two organisms for 12 months. At site A, large numbers of birds fed throughout the year, and at site B smaller numbers of birds fed only in the winter months. Samples of composite faeces were collected from the feeding stations and screened for the organisms, and any dead birds were also screened. S Typhimurium definitive type (DT) 56 (variant) was found to be endemic at site A, and was recovered from 48 per cent of samples of composite faeces collected from the bird table, from 42 per cent of composite faeces from underneath a hanging feeder, and from 33 per cent of composite faeces from below a roost used by house sparrows; the organism was also isolated from the carcases of six wild birds found dead at the site. In contrast, S Typhimurium (DT41) was recovered only once at site B, from 2 per cent of the composite faeces from below a hanging feeder, and no dead birds were recovered from the site. E coli O86 was not recovered from the faeces collected from either site, but was isolated from a bird that died from trauma at site A.     

Localization of Transmissible and Nontransmissible Viruses in the Vector Nematode Xiphinema americanum

ABSTRACT The inner lining of the food canal of nematodes that transmit plantinfecting viruses is regarded as the retention region of viruses. To characterize the location of transmissible and nontransmissible viruses in the vector nematode Xiphinema americanum, three nepoviruses, Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), Tomato ringspot virus(TomRSV), and Cherry leaf roll virus(CLRV), and one non-nematode-transmissible virus, Squash mosaic virus (SqMV), were evaluated for transmission efficiency and localization sites in the nematode. Transmission trials showed highest transmission efficiency for TomRSV (38% with 1 and 100% with 10 nematodes, respectively), intermediate efficiency for TRSV (27% with 1 and 65% with 10 nematodes, respectively), and no transmission for CLRV and SqMV. Electron microscopy and immunofluorescent labeling revealed that TRSV was primarily localized to the lining of the lumen of the stylet extension and the anterior esophagus, but only rarely in the triradiate lumen. Within a nematode population, particles of TRSV were no longer observed in these three regions 10 weeks after acquisition, and it is assumed that there was gradual and random loss of the virus from these areas. The percentage of nematodes that were labeled by virus-specific immunofluorescent labeling in a population of viruliferous nematodes decreased gradually after TRSV acquisition when the nematodes were placed on a nonhost of the virus, and the loss of immunofluorescent labeling paralleled the decrease in the ability of the nematode population to transmit the virus. TomRSV was localized only in the triradiate lumen based on thin-section electron microscopy. No virus-like particles were observed in any part of the food canal of nematodes that had fed on CLRV-infected plants. Virus-like particles that appeared to be partially degraded were observed only in the triradiate lumen of nematodes that had fed on SqMV-infected plants. These results clarified the status of localization of two nontransmissible viruses in X. americanum and presented evidence that two nematode-transmissible viruses, TRSV and TomRSV, are localized in different regions of the food canal of X. americanum.     

Host immune responses against hog cholera virus in pigs treated with an ionized alkali mineral complex

To determine the immune responses in pigs to hog cholera virus after treatment with an ionized alkali mineral complex (IAMC), 40 healthy pigs (28-32 days old) from a commercial swine farm were purchased and housed into 4 groups (n=10 each). All pigs were vaccinated intramuscularly (1 ml) with an attenuated live hog cholera virus (HCV, LOM strain) at 28-32 days old and challenged with a virulent hog cholera virus at 8 weeks after vaccination. Each group was treated with PowerFeel sprayed diet as 0.05% (w/w) in a final concentration (T-1, n=10), a diet mixed with SuperFeed as 3% (w/w) in a final concentration (T-2, n=10), or a diluted PowerFeel solution (1:500, v/v) as drinking water (T-3, n=10), respectively. A group (n=10) served as a non-treated control. Proportions of expressing CD2+ and CD8+ cells increased significantly (p<, 0.05) at 8-week post-application. Mean antibody titers of each group against HCV gradually increased to higher levels after vaccination and with challenge of the virulent virus. In conclusion, the IAMC-treated diets can be helpful for the improvement of growth in pigs with proper vaccination program, while the IAMC-treated diets have no effects on the clinical protection against hog cholera.     

Isolation of Neospora caninum from the brain of a naturally infected adult dairy cow

Neospora caninum was isolated from the brain of a 2-year-old dairy cow that had aborted confirmed N. caninum-infected fetuses on two occasions. The cow had an indirect fluorescent antibody titer of 1:1600 to N. caninum. The cow was killed 24 days after its second abortion and the brain was bioassayed for N. caninum in nude mice. Multifocal areas of perivascular cuffing and glial nodules were observed in the cerebrum and mesencephalon of the cow, but N. caninum was not identified in histological sections of the brain. All three nude mice inoculated with brain homogenate of the cow, developed emaciation and paralysis. Microscopical examination of the nude mice revealed systemic N. caninum infection with demonstrable tachyzoites in various organs. The parasites isolated from fresh mouse brain were transferred successfully into Vero cell cultures. PCR procedure on the purified tachyzoites obtained from the Vero cell cultures amplified the specific DNA sequence for N. caninum.     

Comparison of response to immunotherapy by intradermal skin test and antigen-specific IgE in canine atopy

The intradermal skin test (IDST) and serologic allergy test (SAT) has been developed for confirming a diagnosis of canine atopy and determining allergens for immunotherapy. To determine the prevalence of causative allergens for canine atopic dermatitis in Japan, IDST and SAT were performed with the CMG Immunodot strips on 95 atopic dogs using 9 allergens. In addition, we compared agreement rate, sensitivity and specificity between them (using IDST as the standard). The allergen most commonly positive in both tests was house dust mites (IDST: 69.5%, SAT: 48.4%). Moreover, Japanese cedar, mugwort and grass mix were detected as attendant causative allergens. Agreement rates between the two tests ranged from 67.4% to 96.8%; the overall mean agreement rate were 81%. SAT was shown to have sensitivity to IDST ranging from 16.7 to 68.2%. The specificities were very high for all allergens, on the order of 94.9-100% (median=98.7%). Finally, the efficacy of immunotherapy was evaluated on 27 atopic dogs based on IDST (15 dogs) and SAT (12 dogs) results. Overall, 60% (9/15) of the IDST group and 66.8% (8/12) of the SAT group experienced a 50% to 100% reduction in their symptomatology. No significant differences were found in response to immunotherapy during the follow-up period between allergen selection methods. These results indicate the value of serologic tests as an aid to identifying an allergen solution for immunotherapy.